The PM last night told Moscow it had until the end of today to explain why a Russian nerve agent was used to poison ex-spy Mr Skripal and his daughter Yulia, who remain gravely ill in hospital.

In the wake of her powerful Commons statement, security experts said the case for staying away from the World Cup is getting stronger.

Ex-minister Andrew Murrison told the Daily Mail: “It would be inconceivable we should have anything to do with Russia if they are behind this filthy aggression.”

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The World Cup kicks off in Russia in three months

Lord Ricketts, the former National Security Advisor, added: “A wider boycott by a number of countries of the World Cup would send a very powerful message that Russia is no longer regarded as a responsible country.”

And Tory MP John Baron said: “Yes there should be sanctions, including football sanctions, if it is thought necessary, but there also needs to be longer term thinking.”

Labour’s John Woodcock told BBC Radio 5 Live: "It gives me no pleasure to say this, but I'm afraid that the World Cup should now be in question.

"I think England's participation in the World Cup ought to be in question, but certainly there should be no question of government officials, dignitaries, of senior members of the FA going over there."

Another MP suggested that the World Cup could be taken away from Russia altogether to punish Putin.

Ex-Lib Dem boss Tim Farron said: “If Putin will not clarify his country's actions today, FIFA should remove the World Cup from Russia. Putin does not deserve this PR coup.”

The FA is believed to have held crisis meetings to discuss what will happen if ministers advise footie bosses to pull out of the World Cup.

If Putin will not clarify his country's actions today, FIFA should remove the World Cup from Russia. Putin does not deserve this PR coup.

Sergei Skripal, 66, and his daughter Yulia were attacked with a nerve agent in Salisbury, Wilts last week

If England did ditch the tournament, it would be the first boycott of a major sporting event since the 1980s, when the US and USSR each refused to go to the other’s Olympics thanks to the Cold War.

The British allies most likely to join a boycott of the Russian cup include Germany, France and Australia.

Ukraine, which narrowly missed out on qualifying for the tournament, called for a co-ordinated boycott of the event.

The country's foreign minister Pavlo Klimkin told the Daily Mail: "The West must now respond in a way that will make Russia feel the consequences of their actions.

Poisoned Russian spy Sergei Skripal and daughter Yulia seen on CCTV moments before being found unconscious with mystery woman beside them

"One of the first targets should be next summer’s World Cup. Russia does not deserve to host such a prestigious tournament."

Yesterday fans were warned by a top MP they could be in danger at the World Cup in Russia amid the fallout of the spy poisoning scandal.

Tom Tugendhat, the chairman of the Foreign Affairs committee, said British authorities need to be "very, very careful" to monitor the safety of travelling fans.

In a chilling warning ahead of the championship, which is set to kick off in three months, he said the Government should make sure Three Lions supporters "are not in any way caught up in the politics of this".

He added: "I'm afraid the danger of Russia responding to British fans for actions taken by their Government is all too real."

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Russia has been blamed for ordering the nerve agent attack on British soil